Lovely film ! Wonderful comedy ! Clearly written/directed by a woman who understands feminine angst. This review is short. I am only writing it to express my appreciation for the film and its wonderful acting by Harden and company.Marcia Gay Harden's Madelyn is worth the price of admission itself against which Leonora Watling's Lucy holds her own. It is basically a two women play.....and does recall many of the earlier Broadway-inspired Hollywood productions which involve emotionally unwieldy triads. But is it hackneyed?--not at all. It's human drama which at its base never loses freshness nor its inherent humor and pathos.I enjoyed it. My wife enjoyed it. You'll probably enjoy it as well.

Staid, even-keeled Madelyn gets the shock of her life when she discovers, quite by accident, that her husband of many years is cheating on her with a much younger woman. Then, through a series of complicated events, she winds up as the confidante and adviser to her husband's mistress who has no idea who Madelyn is. In fact, the two women both make a pact - Madelyn with full knowledge of what she's doing and Lucy wholly in the dark - that they will leave all their major life decisions up to the other person - an ostensibly more dispassionate and objective person - so as to avoid incurring any more self-inflicted mistakes in their lives.Written and directed by Joan Carr-Wiggin, "If I Were You" plays much like a modern-day Feydeau farce, its humor based on a complex web of interconnected coincidences, misunderstandings and strategically withheld information. It's a clever, insightful little comedy that, by carrying its ironies and implausibilities to an almost absurd level, manages to make us face - and, even more amazingly, laugh at - just how real and cutting the pain caused by infidelity, romantic relationships and even platonic friendships can be. But the movie also deals with such heady themes as deceit, betrayal, hypocrisy, self-worth and a woman's place in the world, all without breaking a sweat. In fact, this becomes a growth experience for Madelyn who soon learns that she has a purpose and identity of her own apart from wife to a cheating husband.It's true that the movie sometimes feels like it's a beat or two off in its more broadly comic moments (especially early on the film) and the ending rates as a bit of a cheat and copout, but those weaknesses are easily overlooked amidst fine performances by Marcia Gay Harden, Leonor Watling, Joseph Kell and Aidan Quinn and an overall wisdom about how life works.

If I Were You (2012)Be careful—the first twenty minutes of this movie is so bad (or bad seeming) with improbable dialog and kind of "stupid" characters (and maybe inept actors). Or so it all appears. Keep watching. This smooths out quickly, and you get used to the farcical style, so that by the end it all seems normal and pretty fun.The idea is simple, and explained really well in the movie. Two women find they can't make good decisions for themselves, so they agree to make decisions for each other. Big stuff, like whether to date someone, or what to say to end a relationship. And so when a biggie comes up they have to call the other person for instructions.This is tied together brilliantly by a simple first scene (which doesn't give much away, but skip this paragraph if you want the first five minutes of the movie untouched). One woman sees her husband cheating on her with the other (younger) woman. The older woman then sees the younger buy the stuff for a suicide, so follows her to save her. The younger woman thinks this is absolutely beautiful (which it is). And the friendship and the pact are formed.But of course there is this secret lingering, and a husband who calls (and gets calls from) the two women for different reasons.As you can imagine, the complications are hilarious. The other theme that gets going is King Lear, the play, and how the two women get involved with that and why. It's a nice layer that actually doesn't get used very well until near the end when the older woman gives a eulogy quoting the Shakespeare she's been learning. The fellow actors are all terrible on purpose, but they are also thin and clumsy in the movie, especially the director who overacts to distraction. By contrast, our two women play their roles to a kind of comic perfection. The older, played by Marcia Gay Harden, is actually the key protagonist, and is wonderful. Her younger friend, Leonor Watling, is terrific, too, and a perfect complement. Whatever the other outcomes of the movie, you end up hoping these rivals become good friends.

This is one of the most entertaining and downright funny films I have been privileged to watch in the past several years. Plot twists and turns come fast and are unexpected. Marcia Gay Harden leads an impeccable cast of interesting, quirky and all too human characters that include Aiden Quinn. The writing is simply exceptional. The dialog is as witty and hilarious as it comes, and come it does, non-stop. Joan-Carr Wiggin, who is both writer and director, smashes this one clean out of the park. I doubt you'll find yourself glancing at your iPhone or Blackberry during this film. This film is but another vehicle that demonstrates the versatility, cleverness, and command that a seasoned actor like Ms. Harden can bring to a role. Watching the interaction of the actors is much like watching the intricately choreographed dance numbers of a Twyla Tharp. Once this goes into general release, expect to see Marcia Gay Harden walk away with a Best Actress Oscar.